The 2020 Vanderbilt Commodores football team represented Vanderbilt University in the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Commodores played their home games at Vanderbilt Stadium in Nashville, Tennessee, and competed in the Eastern Division of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). They were led by interim head coach Todd Fitch, who replaced Derek Mason after his firing on November 29, 2020. On December 14, 2020, Clark Lea was hired as head coach.
On November 28, in their game against Missouri, Vanderbilt's Sarah Fuller became the first woman to play in a Power Five conference game by delivering the opening kickoff for the second half. Fuller, the Commodores' goalkeeper on the school's SEC championship women's soccer team, was added to the football roster after the team's regular kicking specialists had to be quarantined due to COVID-19 protocols. The following game, against Tennessee in the season finale, Fuller would become the first woman to score in a Power Five game, going a perfect 2/2 on extra point attempts.
Preseason
Award watch lists Listed in the order that they were released
SEC Media Days In the preseason media poll, Vanderbilt was predicted to finish in last place in the East Division.
Schedule Vanderbilt had games scheduled against Colorado State, Kansas State, Louisiana Tech and Mercer, which were all canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The game between Vanderbilt and Missouri was originally scheduled to take place on October 17. However, due to COVID-19 management requirements in response to positive tests and subsequent quarantine of individuals within the Vanderbilt program, the game was rescheduled for December 12. The SEC postponed Tennessee vs. Vanderbilt to facilitate the rescheduling of the Vanderbilt–Missouri game. The shuffling allows for the opportunity for all 14 SEC teams to play 10 regular-season games.
Personnel
Game summaries At No. 10 Texas A&M
Statistics VANTAMU First downs 17 17 Total yards 255 372 Rushing yards 105 183 Passing yards 150 189 Turnovers 2 3 Time of possession 33:59 26:01 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 20/29, 150 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ja'Veon Marlow 16 rushes, 65 yards Receiving Amir Abdur-Rahman 5 receptions, 72 yards, TDTexas A&M Passing Kellen Mond 17/28, 189 yards, TD Rushing Isaiah Spiller 8 rushes, 117 yards Receiving Caleb Chapman 4 receptions, 40 yards, TD
No. 20 LSU
Statistics LSUVAN First downs 28 17 Total yards 498 266 Rushing yards 161 153 Passing yards 337 113 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 29:13 30:47 Team Category Player StatisticsLSU Passing Myles Brennan 23/37, 337 yards, 4 TD, INT Rushing John Emery Jr. 12 rushes, 103 yards, T Receiving Terrace Marshall Jr. 2 receptions, 67 yards, 2 TDVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 11/25, 113 yards, TD, 2 INT Rushing Ja'Veon Marlow 17 rushes, 83 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 3 receptions, 63 yards
South Carolina
Statistics SCVAN First downs 18 15 Total yards 485 249 Rushing yards 289 76 Passing yards 196 173 Turnovers 1 2 Time of possession 31:27 28:33 Team Category Player StatisticsSouth Carolina Passing Collin Hill 16/24, 196 yards Rushing Kevin Harris 21 rushes, 171 yards, 2 TD Receiving Nick Muse 5 receptions, 85 yardsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 17/24, 148 yards, TD Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 13 rushes, 72 yards Receiving Amir Abdur-Rahman 2 receptions, 46 yards
Ole Miss
Statistics MISSVAN First downs 35 24 Total yards 641 421 Rushing yards 192 102 Passing yards 449 319 Turnovers 1 3 Time of possession 29:52 30:08 Team Category Player StatisticsOle Miss Passing Matt Corral 31/34, 412 yards, 6 TD Rushing Jerrion Ealy 15 rushes, 95 yards Receiving Elijah Moore 14 receptions, 238 yards, 3 TDVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 31/40, 319 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 23 rushes, 66 yards, TD Receiving Camron Johnson 14 receptions, 97 yards
At Mississippi State
Statistics VANMSST First downs 30 14 Total yards 478 204 Rushing yards 142 -22 Passing yards 336 226 Turnovers 5 0 Time of possession 32:10 27:50 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 31/46, 336 yards, TD, 3 INT Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 20 rushes, 115 yards, TD Receiving Camron Johnson 10 receptions, 114 yardsMississippi State Passing Will Rogers 35/46, 226 yards, TD Rushing Woody Marks 6 rushes, 10 yards, TD Receiving Malik Heath 9 receptions, 79 yards
At Kentucky
Statistics VANUK First downs 29 23 Total yards 407 458 Rushing yards 180 308 Passing yards 227 150 Turnovers 0 0 Time of possession 32:26 27:34 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 21/32, 225 yards, 2 TD Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 29 rushes, 121 yards Receiving Amir Abdur-Rahman 7 receptions, 89 yardsKentucky Passing Terry Wilson 13/15, 110 yards, 2 TD Rushing Chris Rodriguez Jr. 13 rushes, 149 yards, 2 TD Receiving Keaton Upshaw 2 receptions, 41 yards, TD
No. 6 Florida
Statistics FLAVAN First downs 29 21 Total yards 586 406 Rushing yards 173 87 Passing yards 413 319 Turnovers 1 1 Time of possession 34:17 25:43 Team Category Player StatisticsFlorida Passing Kyle Trask 26/35, 383 yards, 3 TD Rushing Dameon Pierce 11 rushes, 55 yards, TD Receiving Kadarius Toney 6 receptions, 107 yards, TDVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 22/34, 319 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Mitchell Pryor 13 rushes, 44 yards Receiving Chris Pierce Jr. 4 receptions, 97 yards, 2 TD
At Missouri
Statistics VANMIZ First downs 13 31 Total yards 185 603 Rushing yards 82 223 Passing yards 103 380 Turnovers 1 0 Time of possession 27:10 32:50 Team Category Player StatisticsVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 11/18, 79 yards Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 15 rushes, 64 yards Receiving Camron Johnson 5 receptions, 33 yardsMissouri Passing Connor Bazelak 30/37, 318 yards Rushing Larry Rountree III 21 rushes, 160 yards, 3 TD Receiving Tyler Badie 7 receptions, 102 yards
Tennessee
Statistics TENNVAN First downs 24 16 Total yards 540 292 Rushing yards 212 53 Passing yards 328 239 Turnovers 2 1 Time of possession 33:37 26:23 Team Category Player StatisticsTennessee Passing Harrison Bailey 14/18, 207 yards, 2 TD Rushing Eric Gray 13 rushes, 74 yards Receiving Velus Jones Jr. 7 receptions, 125 yards, 2 TDVanderbilt Passing Ken Seals 22/39, 239 yards, 2 TD, INT Rushing Keyon Henry-Brooks 20 rushes, 56 yards Receiving Amir Abdur-Rahman 3 receptions, 69 yards
Players drafted into the NFL
2 54 Dayo Odeyingbo DE Indianapolis Colts
References